If you’re [tag]coaching kids baseball[/tag], it is important to hold your players attention and teach skills while making your practices fun. Here are two fun drills that have become favorites with my teams.
One drill has been helpful for my 1st-4th grade players. Four players are about 10 paces apart in a square. Player #1 rolls ball to #2, #2 fields, pivots, and rolls to #3; #3 pivots, rolls to #4, #4 to #1; continue.
Then add another [tag]baseball[/tag] into the rotation, adding balls until there are 4 going clockwise (or counterclockwise). The players have to call out to the one they are about to roll to. This then turns into an easy throw instead of a roll. Works with fielding, pivoting, throwing, and communicating. It is important to switch them around so they work with other players.
Another [tag]baseball drill[/tag] to work on their throwing is one I call “hit the coach”.
Line them up on a baseline facing towards the field. Demonstrate how to throw properly. Set a plastic bucket next to them with 10 tennis balls in it. Have the coaches go out it front of them and be targets. Have the kids throw the tennis balls at the coaches. They love it. After each kid has thrown their 10 balls, instruct them to go pick up 10 balls, put them in their bucket and return to their station. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
They get lots of throws and lots of laughs.